Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Stages
The stages of chronic kidney disease are determined by the
glomerular filtration rate (GFR). CKD is divided into 5 stages of increasing
severity.
Stage 1 - Slight kidney
damage with normal or increased filtration (GFR is more than 90 ml/min)
Stage 2 - Mild decrease in kidney function (GFR is 60-89 ml/min)
Stage 3 - Moderate decrease in kidney function (GFR is 30-59
ml/min)
Stage 4 - Severe decrease in kidney function (GFR is 15-29
ml/min)
Stage 5 - Kidney failure; requiring dialysis or transplantation
(GFR is less than 15 ml/min). This stage is also referred to as end-stage renal
disease, wherein there is total or near-total loss of kidney function.
End-stage renal disease
It is the final result of chronic kidney failure. A number
of complications including anemia, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure,
bone disease, digestive tract problems and loss of mental functioning (dementia)
may develop. In end-stage renal disease, kidney functions can be replaced only
by dialysis or by kidney transplantation.
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